Monday, December 27, 2010

well...a very happy late christmas to you! besides the expected (christmas celebrations, whatnot)...nothing of blogging-worth has been happening...but i felt the urge to wish all my blogger friends a happy christmas...so...HAPPY CHRISTMAS!! :)

here's a few pics from my phone of the holidayish weekend:

did you have a good christmas??

from top to bottom, left to right: me and morgie at cici's pizza during a mini christmas party, a pocket from an apron i was hired to make, sara (sister) and her amazing vintage hat i gave her for christmas, piper (niece) during a visit, brown paper package tied up with string, some of my 11 things to do before 2012 (new years resolutions) list.

Thursday, December 23, 2010

okay. so you've got the perfect gift...but WAIT it's christmas eve eve and they aren't wrapped yet. what to do...what to do. if you're a really awesome person, you like to be super original with your gifting...don't gift wrap your awesome gift with boring ol' christmas paper...but a totally awesome wrapping...like these:

all wrapped up with...what is that...pages from a book?! genius. AND a red bow atop?! yes. i think i'm in love.

Wednesday, December 22, 2010

I am SO a "wait until the last possible moment" kind of person. unfortunately. but yesterday was probably my most successful day of gift shopping...EVER. I mean...it was great.

I can't share all of my awesome finds with you today...because, well, they're going to some friends who might be reading this. but today I'm exchanging gifts with one of my older sisters, so I'll share her's with you! :)

isn't this hat awesome?! I found it half off...and I kind of want to steal it. haha. it was in a really awesome booth with all sorts of vintage clothes, gloves, and hats. all half off! I was really tempted to get a dress...but it was marked FIRM. sad day.

also. as I was shopping...I came upon this CREEPY mechanical gnome/elf with a saw that moves back and forth. it scared me out of my wits!! I had to take a video.

Sunday, December 19, 2010

last night was the last performance of bcpe. we cleaned up the church that had asked us to perform. and headed over to another church to have the cast party. amongst bloopers, awards, and dancing the jitterbug...we had a swell time! i then proceeded to spend the night at the lovely hoover household. unbeknownst to me that there was a secret going on that whole day!

i got home this morning and my mom says she wants to discuss the upstairs sewing room...possible organization and decoration and so on. i say sure. we walk up the stairs. and i see this "R" with a giant pair of scissors hanging on the door:

and i says to myself...what is thiiiiiiis?! and i thinks to myself...GASP! and i opens the door...and SHAZAM! magic has occurred while i was away. and apparently two little elves have been at work (aka my two older sisters) making the upstairs sewing room beautiful! an early christmas present.

i love my secretive, plotting, wonderful family!!!

check out the upstairs sewing room blog for more pictures and details! :)

Friday, December 17, 2010

alot has been going on lately...mainly the show...but school is out for the holidays and i've been enjoying the break more than i can say! i was really scared about finals...but even though i studied for about five minutes (max), my chemistry quarterly exam went REALLY well. i'm not much of a chemistry fan. you?

the most exciting event, however, has been the removal of my braces! huzzah! that was probably one of the greatest days i've had. ever. not only did i get them removed, but we went to chickfila and joann fabrics that day, too. was there a better day invented than that?

i'd also like to tell you i've become obsessed with starbucks. constantly craving their holiday drinks. yummm! another obsession would be the song white christmas by the drifters. we used it as house music for BCPE and everytime it came on (as we changed the set) we all got a bounce in our step...and began dancing...and lip-syncing. best fun ever. it also came on in starbucks the other day. my two obsessions united. a very epic moment as we all sang along.

and this concludes another "days in the life" segment. just to let you know how great this holiday season is going so far. and i hope yours is just as wonderful!!!

Thursday, December 16, 2010

i have oh-so many antique treasures, i thought i'd start a new mini blog series about some of my favorites! inspired by atlanta's post.

civil war style clothing has interested me for years. so what better way to study 1860s fashion, than by looking at originals (or at least pictures of originals)?! i went through a faze where i was buying and buying cdvs off of ebay. since then, i've restricted myself from going there...i only peruse every now and then.

here are eight of my favorite cdvs i've collected from various places...all young-adult women from the 1860s:

#1 -

there are so many things i love about this pictures. the dress, for one, has so many gorgeous details. i can't tell what that detailing is on the bodice...quilting or tucking perhaps? do you know? i also LOVE the trim on the sleeves, waistband, and bottom of the dress! also, note the shorter length for the younger girl. and how about that cute doll and carriage in the corner?! i wouldn't have minded a toy like that as a young girl!

#2 -

a simple but lovely dress. buttons down the front, white collar, dropped shoulder, bishop sleeves, belt with buckle. these are all tell-tale signs of the 1860s. also, the simple, parted down the middle hair is another good indication. wouldn't you love to know what book she's reading right there?!

#3 -

ooo. i really love the ruffles/runching trim she's got going on. that's a really fun idea to use on a yoked dress...and she also used it on the coat sleeves and neckline. but what is that she's holding? a parasol...without a stick? a strange looking purse. plus, if you look closely...some sort of rod...? what do you think it is? plus, look at the stamp on the back! if you look real closely you can see the date! september 1864!

#4 -

some more lovely trim! and cute bows/accessories of some sort in her hair. a nice brooch and earrings as well. white collar. and look at that sleeve. it appears to be smooth in the front and pleated in the back! i love it! and i really like that elaborate chair! does she look pregnant to you, or is it only the hoop?

#5 -

this young lady is sporting a very nice striped dress. i'm always a sucker for stripes! she has a nice fan-front bodice with a stand up collar and a sort of neck tie/bow. plus a contrasting belt. again, hair parted down the middle.

#6 - Nancy (an aspiring seamstress):

here's a pretty young girl! wearing a shorter skirt with two rows of black trim. a white blouse, a black bolero jacket (though it looks rather thin to be of any use in cold weather), and a belt with silver buckles. her hair also seems to be up in a net. she looks rather sad, does she not? i wonder how old she is.

atlanta: Poor 14-year old Nancy has become very fashion concious lately - but her family can't afford to outfit two fashionable young ladies, so her older sister Emmaline gets the new clothing, and Nan has to do with cast-offs. That's why her jacket is too big. :^P But, she's taking sewing lessons so soon she will be able to improve her wardrobe on her own!

#7 -

wow. this lady has very large eyes. i see a brooch peeking behind that large paletot of hers. i also see a wedding ring... those coats are not too terribly flattering, but i must say it looks very warm.

#8 -

and finally we have this young lady. in a rather sombre colored dress. was she mourning? has someone she loved been killed in the war? regardless, i like the little cap sleeve that is over the bishop sleeve. plus the small black trim around the cuff and cap.

well there you have it. the best of my cdv collection. i hope you enjoyed looking at them!

for you creative people out there, if you can think of a name/story for any/all of my friends here...make a comment and i might add it to the post (with credit to you, of course).

Wednesday, December 15, 2010

i hadn't intended on writing any more about the play...but something uber special happened today. remember the third graders who came to see a special viewing of the best christmas pageant ever...? well, they all wrote thank you cards to the cast...with pictures of their favorite scene! (i love seeing the different perspectives each kid had on the play!)

it just made my heart happy to see all those pictures. and even better...how many kids who seemed to relate to my character (imogene herdman). and i'm just praying that maybe God spoke to at least one (if not MORE) through the show...and through my character. and just maybe one of them heard the TRUE meaning of christmas for the first time. isn't that the most exciting thing?!

this last picture is my favorite. *sniffle* these 3rd graders don't know how much they brightened my day today.